Gonçalo Peixoto, Gandaia, Roselyn Silva and Luís Carvalho featured at ModaLisboa

ModaLisboa returns to the capital from October 1st to 5th with its 65th edition, BASE, a celebration of fashion as a platform for dialogue.

More than just a trend show, this Lisbon Fashion Week challenges itself to rethink formulas, paths, and purpose, but also new ways to stimulate the business of Portuguese designers in an increasingly global city. For this edition, VERSA spoke with some of the national talents who will present their spring/summer 2026 collections.

Gonçalo Peixoto : “The main focus for the coming years will always be internationalization and expansion”

Portuguese designer Gonçalo Peixoto returns to ModaLisboa with a collection featuring “old-school” references and a very fresh style for spring/summer 2026.

Gonçalo Peixoto has been a regular presence at Lisbon Fashion Week and a favorite designer for actresses like Margarida Corceiro and Madalena Aragão, as well as digital influencers like Mariana Machado and Anita da Costa. He spoke to VERSA about the brand's current situation and future plans.

What can we expect from the new collection at this edition of ModaLisboa? This collection will be versatile, fun, and full of color and patterns, perfectly reflecting what a summer look calls for.

What main inspirations guided this season's creative process? This season was heavily influenced by references to the "old days." If we were to dress a woman from the 1930s or 1940s, how would she dress in Gonçalo Peixoto? We sought to intertwine this temporal parallel with a fresh, light, and fun summer style, with plenty of color.

Your work is often associated with a youthful and irreverent aesthetic. Is it possible to balance this with the brand's growing maturity? Yes, without a doubt. My brand and collections have changed a lot since I started 10 years ago. Being irreverent is important to me because it's at the core of the Gonçalo Peixoto brand, but this characteristic has been adapting and bringing balance to a more sophisticated mood .

How does ModaLisboa continue to be relevant to you, as a Portuguese designer with an internationally recognized brand? ModaLisboa is a fundamental platform in Portugal. It has been very important to me since the beginning of my career, and it has been here that I have shared my work with an audience for the past seven years, every season. It will always be a very important creative space for Portuguese fashion, and I am proud to have been present there for so many years.

The public and social media have played an important role in your career. Has this impacted the creations you've been presenting? I'm generally very attentive to what people are looking for. Understanding how the public dresses and combines pieces naturally influences the design process. We want pieces that aren't just for runway shows, but that are also suitable for the everyday life of the woman who wears them.

What are the next steps for the Gonçalo Peixoto brand? The main focus for the coming years will always be internationalization and expansion in these international markets. We also want to ensure that our growth is responsible and conscious and reinforce the sustainability of the production process. Furthermore, we intend to maintain the same innovative and authentic spirit so characteristic of the Gonçalo Peixoto brand.

Gandaia : “It is essential to remain consistent to maintain our audience and add value to the brand”

What does the very Portuguese expression "Come Back Always" mean, now interpreted in the collection Gandaia is taking to ModaLisboa? The founders of the brand (also very Portuguese) answer.

First it was Mustique, now it's Gandaia. The brand founded by two childhood friends, Vera Caldeira and Pedro Ferraz, is one of the presences at the 65th edition of ModaLisboa, whose theme is "Base." The new Gandaia collection is based on a very Portuguese expression, "Come Back Always," which aims to pay homage to our roots by introducing new cuts and silhouettes, which will be featured in the spring/summer 2026 looks . Gandaia is the more mature version of the previous Mustique, which aims to establish itself in Portugal and beyond, without limits. Ultimately, the idea is for everyone to recognize a Gandaia piece, without needing to be said.

From Mustique to Gandaia, what motivated the change? We wanted to grow beyond our limits and needed to think about how we could do it. Gandaia emerged from the creative process of expanding Mustique. We call it version 2.0, more mature, drawing heavily from our first brand but brought to life with some new features. In addition to the patterns, we now have cleaner , more neutral options.

How was this process of evolution? It was very natural. As we grew, the brand and we, as entrepreneurs, began to build our own vision of fashion. The market evolves, and we wanted to evolve too. Time gave us the answers we needed, and we felt the transition was right. Our audience's response has been very positive.

Gandaia was born with a strong connection to authenticity and freedom. How are these values ​​reflected in the pieces? We seek inspiration in the simplest things in life: the streets we cross several times a day, the people we pass, the various colors of the Lisbon sun, the oldest tiles. The authenticity and freedom of Gandaia pieces are a mirror of what our eyes see, and this, in our opinion, gives them a very unique identity.

ModaLisboa is a highly visible showcase. What message do you want to convey to the public and the industry with the new collection? This is the second time we've done this. We know ModaLisboa is a highly visible showcase, but more than just being seen, we want to unite with those who make fashion in Portugal. Having a brand, contributing to the industry, and investing in national factories and workforces is what we've been doing since 2020 – when we began producing exclusively in Portugal. We believe it's necessary to go further, to be part of history, to have a voice, and to make ourselves heard. Being part of ModaLisboa gives us a new dimension and allows us to contribute more actively to the sector.

"Come Back Always" is a very Portuguese expression. What inspired you to make it the guiding principle of the Spring/Summer 2026 collection? We firmly believe in the power of a good Portuguese expression. "Come Back Always" brings the same sense of belonging to all Portuguese people. In a restaurant, in a store, we've become accustomed to hearing it. We wanted to pay homage to our roots. The new Summer 2026 collection, which we now present, features new cuts and silhouettes and reinforces Gandaia's evolution—more mature and elegant, yet always irreverent.

How do you reconcile Gandaia's Portuguese identity with the ambition to conquer international markets? Precisely to bring the best of Portugal's products across borders. Our physical stores welcome many tourists, and we also sell a lot online. Therefore, for us, it makes perfect sense to take this path. And more than speaking other languages ​​or trying to adapt to other markets, we want people to connect with our identity, our culture, and who we are.

The brand combines contemporary irreverence with classic sophistication. How do they balance this duality without losing aesthetic coherence? This fusion happens very naturally. We strive to elevate the quality of our pieces, always seeking the best fabrics and the most sustainable production techniques. And we combine this with the colors, patterns, and creativity that are already part of Gandaia's DNA. We know that remaining consistent is essential to retain our audience and add value to our brand.

What role would you like the brand to play in the Portuguese and international fashion scene in the coming years? We want to establish the brand in Portugal and in international markets. We want to continue growing, because we have no limits. We know that having a brand in Portugal is a challenge in itself. But we are persistent and believe deeply in what we are building. Our greatest desire is for the brand to be recognized, naturally, without us having to say "it's Gandaia." They want to recognize the quality of our pieces and an image that is so unique that it becomes unquestionable.

Roselyn Silva : “Lisbon fashion is just the beginning of a new decade of achievements”

We spoke to Roselyn Silva about her big debut at ModaLisboa, her origins, the new collection and the future.

Roselyn Silva was born in São Tomé and Príncipe, but at just four years old, she moved to our seaside country. She never forgot her roots, and in mid-2015, when creating her own brand, she decided to focus (something she continues to do) on creations that highlight African-inspired prints and fabrics, combining them with the cosmopolitan energy of Lisbon.

And now, in the year in which the brand celebrates its 10th anniversary, it is included, for the first time, in the ModaLisboa calendar, a moment to talk to the designer about her origins, the new collection and the future.

How did your journey into fashion design begin? It began with a passion for fabrics, colors, and patterns that connect me to my African roots. Over time, that initial impulse transformed into a distinctive language that today defines Roselyn Silva's DNA.

How do you feel about experiencing ModaLisboa for the first time? I'm incredibly grateful and excited. This is the perfect stage to celebrate a decade of history and show the public how the brand has grown, matured, and continues to reinvent itself.

What does this moment mean, personally and professionally? It's a consecration. Personally, it's a source of pride to bring my African and Lusophone identity to a landmark event in Portugal. Professionally, it's a step that marks this new phase for the brand, as we celebrate 10 years of history with a collection that looks to the future.

What can we expect from the show? Expect a celebration. This is the brand's first time on the ModaLisboa runway, and for me, it's symbolic that it's happening in the year we celebrate 10 years of history. The public will see ten outfits that straddle boldness and sophistication, always with the brand's DNA present. But the special part will be the dialogue I created: statement pieces in Afro and classics in plain fabrics. It's this unexpected interplay that I want to share—tradition and innovation side by side, as a reflection of my own journey.

What references most influence your work? African culture is my foundation, but so is Lisbon, its cosmopolitan energy and connection between worlds. I enjoy creating this dialogue between tradition and innovation, between identity and contemporary sophistication.

Can we learn more about this new collection? It's called "Legacy Part II." It's the continuation of a journey that revisits the brand's bestsellers, giving them new proportions, volumes, and fabrics. I worked with leather, velvet, and new silk textures, without ever abandoning the brand's DNA.

Why the need to continue this collection, Legacy, and not start a new and different one? What bestsellers will we (re)discover in this Part II? "Legacy Part II" stems from a desire to revisit the path taken. Legacy represents maturity, growth, and transformation. More than launching something entirely new, I felt it was time to look back and reinterpret bestsellers that have shaped the brand's identity over these past 10 years. Iconic pieces now appear with new proportions, volumes, and materials. It's a way of honoring the past while also pointing to the future.

What types of fabrics and techniques will we find? In this collection, I worked with materials that bring new languages—leather, velvet, and different silk textures. These coexist with the African-inspired prints and fabrics that are the essence of the brand. I like to think of the process as a fusion: careful tailoring techniques that provide structure and elegance, blended with bold patterns and fluid textures.

What do you hope the public takes away from the show? I hope they feel the strength of a cosmopolitan and international woman who can wear these pieces anywhere. And that they understand that the brand is built on identity, but also on constant evolution.

What's it like to be a fashion designer in Portugal? What opportunities and challenges have you experienced? Portugal is fertile in creativity and talent, but also challenging in terms of scale and reach. It's important to create opportunities and dream beyond borders. For me, the challenge has become a driver of growth.

What next steps are planned after this launch? I want to expand the brand internationally, strengthening this bridge between Africa, Portugal, and the world. ModaLisboa is just the beginning of a new decade of achievements.

Luís Carvalho : “We have a very strong artisanal heritage and this allows us to create pieces where tradition and innovation go hand in hand”

Luís Carvalho has been a regular at ModaLisboa since his debut in 2013. We spoke with the designer about his collection for next year's warm season and his plans for the future of his brand.

How did the concept for this new collection come about? It's a collection rich in textures, movement, and color blends. The concept stemmed from the idea of ​​creating a new textile base, combining several satin ribbons of different colors and sizes that evoke one of the fabrics used in the collection. The idea of ​​unity emerges, especially since we live in a time marked by division and disharmony—it's almost like an evocative celebration of love!

What images, memories, or references served as inspiration? I used several images of works by visual artists as references, but I'd like to highlight some works by artist Ian Davenport, composed of this blend of colors and an almost organic geometry that will be prominent in the collection. The palette combines green, mustard yellow, purple, and teal that flow like a landscape in transition, softened by the hues of ecru.

What materials did you choose? The predominant raw materials are definitely more satiny, like the striped jacquard , which was the starting point for the selection of the remaining materials, which have a more shiny appearance and led me to the ribbons used in the textile surface construction I mentioned earlier, as well as the satins used in the rest of the collection.

Were there any notable technical or creative challenges this season? What piece or outfit do you consider the heart of the collection? The biggest challenge was constructing the pieces that use this more artisanal approach, where we construct the fabric by sewing each ribbon individually, requiring precision to ensure all the patterns match perfectly. Therefore, without a doubt, all the outfits created with this technique are the heart of the collection.

Can you describe the collection in a few words? Union straddles stylistic dualities: openness and restraint, minimalism and opulence, tradition and innovation. The result is a kind of organic geometry—shapes that breathe, expand, and respond to movement. Each piece is a proposal for coexistence.

What kind of person wears Luís Carvalho? Someone who wears Luís Carvalho is undoubtedly someone with personality, a risk-taker, and a style that blends casual with more formal.

How do you see your evolution from the first collections to now? I see a positive evolution. The collections have much more consistency and quality. The tailoring aspect has grown immensely and has become a bit of the core of the brand's DNA. The way I construct the collections is different; they're more thoughtful, and in a way, I feel they're more harmonious from season to season.

Do you have any rituals or routines that help you get into the creative process? There isn't one, but I know there's no point in forcing things when the process isn't flowing. It's better to stop and leave it for another day to avoid frustration. But without a doubt, reading magazines, fashion books, exhibitions, traveling, and listening to music are good rituals for getting into the creative process.

What excites you most about working in fashion? Without a doubt, creating collections and seeing a customer's enthusiasm when they try on one of my pieces. The smile of excitement is priceless !

Is it easy in Portugal? What challenges are there? Working in fashion in Portugal isn't easy. There's the issue of production; despite having a rich textile industry, it's not always easy to balance innovation with development costs. But I believe the challenge lies precisely in these obstacles: finding solutions, reinventing, and resisting.

What sets Portuguese fashion apart? We have a very strong artisanal heritage, and this allows us to create pieces where tradition and innovation go hand in hand. Furthermore, I feel there's an authenticity to Portuguese fashion, a desire to tell its own stories without losing connection.

What do you envision national fashion to be like in ten years? I envision Portuguese fashion becoming increasingly established internationally, with greater visibility and recognition. I see it as sustainable, not only in environmental terms, but also in human terms, with brands and designers valuing conscious and transparent processes.